Source: Asian Paints

Lay Out the Floors

Flooring is the first thing you need to deal with when renovating the living room. Opt for good quality, chic flooring. After all, you are going to entertain your guests here.

Italian marble may be beyond your budget but you could definitely go in for Marbonite or vitrified tiles. They cost approximately Rs.90 to Rs.120 per sq. ft., depending on the colour, texture and size of the tiles.

So, you can expect to spend about Rs.24,000 on the flooring in an average sized (16 ft. by 12 ft.) living room.

Up to the Roof

Before you start painting the room, you will need to deal with the electrical work. Decide exactly where you want those plug points, switches and light fixtures.

Visit local stores to buy your light fixtures. They have a pretty wide variety and it won't cost you  the earth. You could get an exclusive suspended chandelier and two wall fixtures for about Rs.4000 only.

You will also need to decide whether you want to have a false ceiling or not. It costs approximately Rs.35 to Rs.40 per sq. ft. for a regular false ceiling. So it shouldn't go beyond Rs.7000 to get your entire ceiling done up.

What About the Walls

A neutral coloured paint will work well for the living room. Choose emulsion paint which costs approximately Rs.300 per litre, as it has a better finish. You will need not more than 6 litres to paint your living room. So the total cost, which includes labour charges, will be about Rs.4000.

But don't just leave it at that. You want to give your guests something to talk about.

Highlight one of the smaller walls with a brighter coloured paint that goes with the colour scheme of your living room. Try an interesting wall finish like a sponge effect or even bold vertical or horizontal stripes to suit the colour scheme of your living room. And don't worry; your experiment won't cost you more than Rs.2000.